Strengthens shared mission to support military families through reading
(San Diego, CA, and St. Paul, MN, February 19, 2026)—United Through Reading (UTR) and Elva Resa Publishing LLC (Elva Resa) are excited to announce a multiyear strategic collaboration. The expanded relationship strengthens both organizations’ shared mission to support the well‑being of military families through the power of reading.
Building on decades of program support, this expanded collaboration adds several significant components to advance both organizations’ strategic and operational goals:
- Elva Resa, an award-winning publisher specializing in military family books, will publish UTR’s Book for the Military Child for the next two years, with English and Spanish editions.
- UTR, a national nonprofit strengthening military families’ emotional bonds, literacy, and well‑being through reading together, is adding 17 Elva Resa children’s titles to its library. The books will be available at more than 200 UTR Story Stations worldwide and in the UTR App, where service members can record themselves reading a story aloud, then send the video and book home for their child to read along—helping families stay connected during deployments and other time apart.
- Through these and other military family programs, UTR distributes approximately 90,000 books per year to military families. This year, 41,000 of those will be Elva Resa books.
- Elva Resa’s distribution team, which specializes in bulk book fulfillment, will manage the supply chain logistics, including printing, warehousing, and fulfillment of Book for the Military Child and the additional Elva Resa titles to UTR Story Stations and military family events around the world.
- The teams will continue to support each other’s literacy programs and advocacy within the military community at an expanded level.
“Both organizations have supported the unique needs of the military community for decades,” says Karen Pavlicin, Elva Resa’s founder and publisher. “This collaboration carries that legacy forward. Combining each organization’s strengths in sustainable ways allows us to make an even greater positive impact for today’s military family.”
“Serving military families is such an honor, and one that we share with Elva Resa,” says Carrie Valentine Fuller, UTR’s CEO. “We respect each other’s work, and this is a natural fit for both organizations. We’re excited to add so many fresh, relevant titles to our library through this partnership, which will ultimately lead to countless storytime recordings and special moments of connection for military families, no matter the distance.”
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Book for the Military Child
In its fourth year, the United Through Reading Book for the Military Child program unites military members and families, including parents, caregivers, and children, around a shared reading experience. One story capturing an element of military child life is selected annually.
The 2026 Book for the Military Child story, in English and Spanish, is Elva Resa’s Home Moves With Me by Kathy Feedham Raggio, with art by Quinette Cook, and Mi hogar se muda conmigo, translated by Gabriella Aldeman.
Told in lyrical prose with mixed media illustrations, the story is about a child who moves with their family to a new house in a new community and discovers that home is more than a place. Home is the people we love and memories we create together.
While the story will resonate with any child who experiences a move, it is especially comforting for military children, who move an average of six to nine times in their childhood.
Through the UTR program, 14,000 copies of Book for the Military Child will be distributed to military families, at no cost to the families, at Month of the Military Child events in April and through various military family programs throughout the year. The books are also available for purchase through MilitaryFamilyBooks.com/Home with an April 1, 2026 release, and in bookstores and other retail outlets beginning June 9, 2026.
Military Life Books
Elva Resa specializes in quality books by, for, and about military families, and for the past five years has been recognized for its exceptional military family life resources in Spanish.
One of Elva Resa’s most popular picture books, Night Catch by Brenda Ehrmantraut, about a soldier and his son who play catch with the North Star during deployment, has been a favorite in UTR Story Stations for more than two decades. Its award-winning Spanish edition, ¡Atrapa la estrella!, was added in 2021.
“We’ve seen more requests for books related to military life and for books in Spanish, two of Elva Resa’s strengths,” says Samantha Hagan-Lingad, UTR’s VP of Programs.
Book Distribution
Through its Story Stations and special military family programs with partnering nonprofits, UTR distributes approximately 90,000 books per year to military families. Nearly half of the books this year will be Elva Resa books.
“We’re excited to expand our book offerings with additional titles that authentically reflect the military family experience,” says UTR’s Hagan-Lingad.
The UTR-Elva Resa collaboration team worked together to create a sustainable solution to scale UTR’s operations.
“The core of Elva Resa’s business is focused on case and bulk sales to organizations that support military families,” says Alexander Pavlicin, Elva Resa’s Director of Operations. “Our supply chain partners and warehouse team are experts in bulk book manufacturing and distribution. Using our existing processes, we are able to efficiently and cost-effectively help UTR expand its programs without stressing resources of either organization.”
Including Book for the Military Child, 17 Elva Resa children’s books will be featured in this year’s UTR book distribution, including 8 picture books in English, 8 picture books in Spanish, and one bilingual board book:
Home Moves With Me
Night Catch
Countdown ’til Daddy Comes Home
Countdown ’til Mommy Comes Home
Fly with Mytai (Operation AviationTM)
Toad the Tanker (Operation AviationTM)
Moose on a Mission (Operation AviationTM)
Star’s Purpose: A Military Mission
Mi hogar se muda conmigo
¡Atrapa la estrella!
Contando los días hasta que llegue papá
Contando los días hasta que llegue mamá
Vuela con Maytai (Operación AviaciónTM)
El Tanquecito (Operación AviaciónTM)
La misión de Alce (Operación AviaciónTM)
El propósito de Estrella: Una misión militar
Duck & Rabbit ABC military adventure / Pato y Conejo ABC aventura militar
The picture books will be distributed by UTR at military family events around the world including literacy and Yellow Ribbon programs. An additional 12,000 board books will be included in special baby bundles for expectant military spouses and service members.
Literacy Programs and Advocacy
UTR hosts a variety of literacy programs throughout the year and Elva Resa’s community of authors lead significant advocacy initiatives on behalf of military families. In 2025, the teams began to deepen their mutual support of these efforts.
In November, UTR’s Veterans Day Storytime with a Service Member program featured Elva Resa’s Night Catch and ¡Atrapa la estrella! being read by service members. The books were then made available for participating schools to use in classrooms to spark meaningful conversations. Approximately one thousand participating schools received access to a special recorded conversation with veteran pilot Teri Weber, author of the Operation AviationTM series, and Gaby Aldeman, translator of the series. Other participation prizes included school grand library packs of 22 Elva Resa books and special grade-appropriate classroom packs.
Similar programs will be held throughout 2026, with Elva Resa authors and artists making special appearances at UTR events.
“This deeper collaboration is just getting started, and we know that the creative minds and mission-focused hearts behind both organizations will continue to find new ways to reach more military families and tell fresh, impactful stories—together,” says UTR’s Fuller.
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Formed in 1989, United Through Reading is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to strengthen military families’ literacy, emotional bonds, and well-being through the power of reading together at every age, no matter the distance. UTR’s vision is a nation of thriving military families whose strength is amplified by a shared love of reading. UnitedThroughReading.com
Founded in 1997, Elva Resa Publishing is an award-winning independent publisher specializing in quality resources about military family life. Driven by a mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives, Elva Resa centers military families in each step of the publishing process, from creation to distribution. Elva Resa owns and operates Military Family Books, a specialty distributor and preferred supplier to military, education, and healthcare organizations worldwide. ElvaResa.com, MilitaryFamilyBooks.com
Service members: Use the UTR App to record reading to your child. https://UTR.org/app
Organizations: Buy books for your programs. https://MilitaryFamilyBooks.com
MEDIA: Please contact Elva Resa PR at 651-357-8770 or pr [@] elvaresa.com with questions or to schedule interviews.
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